It’s no news that Microsoft is making Xbox One a device that shares many similarities with Windows 8.1. If you own a current Windows 8 device, chances are the Xbox One dashboard look a lot familiar. As such options in Windows 8.1 can be found on Xbox One, like the ability for gamers to change dashboard color scheme. A difference to Windows, Xbox One only offers a limited number of colors varying from green, purple, blue, brown, and a few more....
To check whether a Windows 11 PC is x64 or arm64, open Settings > System > About and look under “System type.” It’ll say either “64-bit operating system, x64-based processor” or “64-bit operating system, ARM-based processor.” Alternatively, open System Information (msinfo32) or run in Command Prompt systeminfo | findstr /C:“System Type” to get the same result. UPDATED 10/24/2025: On Windows 11 , you have at least two ways to check if the computer’s processor is x64 or ARM64, and in this guide, you will learn how....
It can be an awful feeling losing your open tabs and windows if your browser closes automatically to install an update, crashes because of an unexpected problem, or you click the close button by mistake. However, you can configure the browser to resume the previous session to make it easier to pick up where you left off. Whether you use Chrome, Edge, or Firefox on Windows 11 or 10, virtually any modern browser includes an option that saves your current session, allowing you to pick up all your windows and tabs where you left off....
Microsoft adds support to create 7z and TAR archive files in addition to Zip on Windows 11. The wizard offers the ability to choose compression methods and levels for each archival format. The support is available starting with version 24H2 (2024 Update). UPDATED 7/9/2024: On Windows 11 24H2 and higher releases, you can create TAR, 7z, and Zip archival format files using a new wizard available on File Explorer, and in this guide, I’ll explain how to complete this process....
Microsoft is known to collects various pieces of data about your device and your behavior with it to understand what features are working, which ones are not, and what changes are needed. Ultimately, this telemetry data helps to make Windows 10 a better product. However, for many people, this is also a privacy concern, which is why starting with the Windows 10 April 2018 Update , Microsoft is introducing an option that allows users to view the raw diagnostic data that the company collects about your device....
On Android , the lock screen shows a big double-line clock when no notifications are available. Otherwise, a smaller clock will appear on the top-left corner of the screen. Although a bigger design can make it easier to see the time, it takes up a lot of space and gets in the way of the lock screen background image. If you prefer only to show a small clock, Android 13 and higher versions include an option to disable the double-line clock....
Windows 10 allows you to bypass the safeguard hold that may prevent the computer from downloading and installing a new feature update, and here’s how to use the option. When a new version of the operating system becomes available, it may still contain bugs, errors, and other known issues that can negatively affect the experience. However, since these problems usually affect a small fraction of computers, Microsoft will still proceed with the rollout, but it will place a “safeguard hold” to temporarily block affected devices from getting the new version....
UPDATED 5/12/2025: If you want to install or upgrade to Windows 11 , you’ll need to download the ISO file, and you have several options to complete this task. The easiest way is to download it directly from the official Microsoft website. Alternatively, you can use the Media Creation Tool, which guides you through the process and lets you create the required installation media . Advanced users may prefer third-party tools like Rufus or UUP Dump, which offer more customization when building the media to install the operating system....
Windows 11 build 25926 comes with a new “System Components” page in the Settings app, but if it’s not available on your installation, use these instructions to enable it. Microsoft is working on adding a new page in the Settings app that includes the default apps, extensions, and codecs that are considered essential components of the system for easier management. The System Components page gives you a view of the default apps (such as Calculator, Camera, Feedback Hub, etc....
If you want to install Windows 11 on a virtual machine using Hyper-V, you will have to use a “Generation 2” VM and enable the “trusted platform module” (TPM) and Secure Boot options. Otherwise, the OS won’t install. Starting with Windows 11, Microsoft is changing the system requirement and making TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot a prerequisite to perform an in-place upgrade or clean install the new version on any device....
To enable TPM and Secure Boot for a Windows 11 VM, the VMware Workstation wizard will include providing an “Encryption Information” page to set up the TPM feature. Also, to enable Secure Boot, you must complete this configuration from the virtual machine “Options” settings. It’s also possible to update an existing virtual machine to support TPM, Secure Boot, and UEFI, but you will have to make sure to update the VM storage type from MBR to GPT....
To enable Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) on Windows 11, go to Settings > System > Display > Graphics > Advanced graphics settings and turn on the “Variable refresh rate” toggle. If the option is missing, make sure your monitor and GPU support VRR, and that G-Sync or FreeSync is enabled in the GPU control panel. VRR helps reduce screen tearing and stuttering in DirectX 11 full-screen games by synchronizing your monitor’s refresh rate with your graphics card’s frame output....
To export VPN connections on Windows 11, from the “%AppData%\Microsoft\Network\Connections” location, copy the “Pbk” folder containing the VPN settings. To import VPN connections, replace the “Pbk” folder on “%AppData%\Microsoft\Network\Connections” with the backup copy of the “Pbk” with the exported settings. On Windows 11 , you can export Virtual Private Network (VPN) connections, which you can import into another device, and in this guide, you will learn how. Although setting up a VPN connection is a straightforward process, the ability to export and import settings can help to migrate the configuration to other devices faster....
To fix account problems on Windows 11, create a new local account and check if the issue persists. If the problem is gone, transfer your files to the new profile and link it to your Microsoft account. Finally, delete the corrupted account to complete the transition. On Windows 11 , you can switch to a new account to resolve specific issues with your current user profile, including problems caused by system file corruption or misconfigured settings....
On Windows 10, Action Center is a feature that groups app and system notifications and puts them into a single interface that can easily be accessed using the taskbar. In addition, Action Center also hosts the quick actions buttons to help you get access to your most-used settings and apps quickly. Unfortunately, several users have been reporting that after upgrading to the Windows 10 October 2018 Update (version 1809) , notifications no longer show in Action Center....
October 2025 Security Update for Windows 11 25H2 and 24H2 breaks LocalHost connection. Microsoft has already resolved this issue with a Known Issue Rollback (KIR) release. However, you can also fix this issue manually by editing the Registry. Microsoft has confirmed an issue after installing the Windows 11 October 2025 Security Update (KB5066835) on versions 25H2 and 24H2 that prevents websites from loading using the LocalHost (127.0.0.1) HTTP/2 connection....
On Windows 10 , you can enhance your experience by changing various aspects of the Start menu. In this guide, I’ll explain the steps to make these changes. Although the Start menu has undergone many changes throughout the years, it has always been the central hub for accessing apps, settings, and other features of the operating system. Although the default settings are enough for most users, you can customize various aspects to suit your preferences and workflow....
Although Microsoft Teams is a great productivity program, there’s one problem. If you decide to uninstall the app from Windows 10, it’ll keep reinstalling automatically after restarting your device. The behavior is odd, but it has to do with the initial installation design. When you install Teams for the first time, the app may also install the “Teams Machine-Wide Installer,” which won’t be removed if you uninstall the app. This means that to permanently remove Microsoft Teams, you also have to uninstall the Teams Machine-Wide Installer....
Although Windows 10 is fairly easy to use and understand, no matter if you’re a beginner or advanced user, there will be times when you may need to get help to fix a problem or learn how to use a feature. Depending on how you have initially obtained the operating system, there are a lot of options to help on Windows 10. You can use the “Tips” app to learn new features, or the “Get Help” app to chat with a virtual assistant to get answers to common questions....
ASUS is testing a BIOS (UEFI) update for its Z290 motherboards to address stability problems with Intel 13th and 14th Gen Core (Raptor Lake) processors. The new microcode version 129 hasn’t been designed to fix processors that have already been affected by exposure to elevated voltages. Instead, this update should help to prevent the chips that are still in good working condition from getting damaged. In recent months, Intel 13th and 14th Gen processors have been facing stability issues, mainly due to elevated operating voltage caused by a microcode algorithm bug....
